Brig. Gen. Mike “3M” Moeding is the Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. He is responsible for policy, guidance and oversight of worldwide air operations and providing forces for rapid global mobility. These functions include airfield operations, Civil Reserve Air Fleet management and commercial carrier compliance, command and control and air operations center functional management. Additionally, he provides oversight on nuclear operations, global force management, air expeditionary forces, resource and readiness review monitoring, aircrew training, aircrew standardization and evaluation, joint exercise and commander’s training guidance.
After commissioning through Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, Brig. Gen. Moeding was assigned to McConnell AFB, Kansas, as a flying squadron Adjutant and Operations Management Officer. He later accepted a pilot position with the Air Force Reserve and went on to become a KC-135R Instructor and Evaluator Pilot. He advanced rapidly through numerous leadership positions as both a company and field grade officer culminating as a flying squadron Director of Operations. As a lieutenant colonel, he was selected to lead as an Operations Group Commander at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. He has also led as a Director of Staff and Reserve Advisor on the Headquarters, U.S. Air Force Air Staff at the Pentagon. Brig. Gen. Moeding served as the Joint Deputy Director, Directorate of Exercises and Assessments (EC-J7) and Air Force Reserve Advisor to the Combatant Commander, Headquarters, United States European Command, Stuttgart, Germany, where he became a level-III Joint Qualified Officer. As Director of Mobility Forces, he led the Mobility Air Forces’ efforts during the full combat forces retrograde from Afghanistan and resultant non-combatant evacuation operation in 2021. Brig. Gen. Moeding was the Vice Commander (DCOM), Fourth Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, March Air Reserve Base, California, where he led nearly 34,000 combat ready Airmen in AFRC’s largest numbered air force with 18 wings and one group. Furthermore, he served as Deputy Commander, Fifth Air Force, Yokota Air Base, Japan, where he led all U.S. Air Forces in defense of Japan on behalf of the Commander, U.S. Forces Japan. He has served on active duty and as an Air Force Reserve Traditional Reservist, Air Reserve Technician, Individual Mobilization Augmentee, Active Guard/Reserve, and now as a Mobilization Assistant. Brig. Gen. Moeding is a combat veteran of operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Desert Strike, Joint Forge, Joint Guardian, Allied Force, Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn, Unified Protector, Inherent Resolve, Freedom Sentinel, Spartan Shield and NATO’s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan. He has amassed approximately 5,250 military flight hours and flown nearly 900 hours in combat in both the KC-135 and C-130 totaling over 150 combat missions.
Prior to his current assignment, Brig. Gen. Moeding was the Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. where he drove global air mobility operations, contingency response, and joint basing for Air Mobility Command. In his civilian capacity, Brig. Gen. Moeding is a pilot with a major U.S. global airline.
EDUCATION
1993 Bachelor of Science, Arizona State University, Tempe
2001 Squadron Officer School, Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2003 Air Command and Staff College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2004 Master of Science, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona, Fla.
2011 Leadership, Today and Tomorrow Seminar, Air Force Reserve Command Professional Development Center, Washington, D.C.
2012 Air War College, Air University, Maxwell AFB, Ala., by correspondence
2012 Safety and Accident Investigation Board President Course, Ira C. Eaker Center, Maxwell AFB, Ala.
2013 Reserve Component National Security Course, National Defense University, Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, D.C.
2015 Advanced Joint Professional Military Education (now JCWS-H), Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, Va.
2017 North Atlantic Treaty Organization Senior Officer Policy Course, The NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2017 Director of Mobility Forces Course, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary School, Hurlburt Field, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
2017 Enterprise Leadership Seminar, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, N.C.
2018 Leading Strategically Program, Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado Springs, Colo.
2019 North Atlantic Treaty Organization Senior Reserve Officer Course, The NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany
2021 China, USINDOPACOM, and the Far East Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2022 Leadership Decision Making Course, John F. Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
2023 Enterprise Perspective Seminar, Alan L. Freed Associates, Washington, D.C.
2024 Continuous Improvement and Innovation for Executives, Institute for Defense and Business, Duke University, Durham, N.C.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 1993–August 1995, Adjutant/Section Commander, 384th and 349th Air Refueling Squadrons, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan.
2. August 1995–January 1997, Current Operations Mission Scheduler, 22nd Operations Support Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
3. January 1997–April 1998, Student Pilot, 47th Flying Training Wing, Laughlin AFB, Texas
4. April 1998–April 2000, Mission Development Officer, KC-135R/T Pilot, 18th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
5. April 2000–July 2002, Executive Officer, KC-135R/T Aircraft Commander, 18th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
6. August 2002–April 2005, Assistant Chief Pilot, KC-135R/T Instructor Pilot, 18th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
7. May 2005–September 2006, Chief, Long Range Mission Development, 931st Operations Support Flight, McConnell AFB, Kan.
8. October 2006–August 2008, Chief, Current Operations, 931st Operations Support Flight, McConnell AFB, Kan.
9. September 2008–December 2009, Chief, Operations Plans, 931st Operations Support Flight, McConnell AFB, Kan.
10. April 2009–December 2009, Director of Operations, KC-135R/T Evaluator Pilot, 931st Operations Support Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
11. January 2010–July 2013, Director of Operations (ART O&T), 18th Air Refueling Squadron, McConnell AFB, Kan.
12. August 2012–November 2012, Commander, 90th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, Incirlik Air Base, Türkiye
13. July 2013–January 2014, Deputy Group Commander for Operations, 931st Air Refueling Group, McConnell AFB, Kan.
14. January 2014–November 2015, Commander, 459th Operations Group, Joint Base Andrews, Md.
15. November 2015–September 2017, Chief of Staff, Directorate of Strategic Plans (AF/A8X), and Reserve Advisor, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans, Programs, and Requirements (AF/A5/8), Headquarters U.S. Air Force, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
16. September 2017–February 2020, Deputy Director, Directorate of Exercises and Assessments (EC-J7) and Air Force Reserve Advisor to the Combatant Commander, Headquarters U.S. European Command, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany
17. March 2020–December 2021, Vice Commander (DCOM), (July 2020–October 2020, Commander) 302nd Airlift Wing, Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.
18. February 2021–July 2021, Director of Mobility Forces, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Central, Al Udeid AB, Qatar
19. December 2021–April 2023, Vice Commander, (August 2022–October 2022, Commander) Fourth Air Force, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.
20. April 2023–March 2025, Mobilization Assistant to the Commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.
21. June 2024–August 2024, Deputy Commander (interim), Fifth Air Force, Yokota AB, Japan
22. March 2025–present, Mobilization Assistant to the Director of Operations, Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration (AMC/A3/10), Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.
SUMMARY OF JOINT ASSIGNMENTS
1. September 2017–February 2020, Deputy Director, Directorate of Exercises and Assessments (EC-J7), Headquarters U.S. European Command, Patch Barracks, Stuttgart-Vaihingen, Germany, as a colonel
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Rating: command pilot
Military flight hours: 5,250, including nearly 900 combat hours
Aircraft flown: T-3A, T-37B, T-1A, KC-135R/T/RT, C-130H2/3, A-319/320, B-737-NG/MAX and B-787
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters
Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters
Aerial Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air and Space Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Schützenschnur III (gold) der Bundeswehr, Deutschland
(Current as of March 2025)